Skip to content
Skip to main content

About this free course

Download this course

Share this free course

In the night sky: Orion
In the night sky: Orion

Start this free course now. Just create an account and sign in. Enrol and complete the course for a free statement of participation or digital badge if available.

Orion Glossary

Friday, 29 March 2024, 3:45 PM
Site: Open Learning
Course: In the night sky: Orion (INS_1)
Glossary: Orion Glossary
M

magnitude scale

An historical, logarithmic scale devised to represent the observed brightness of astronomical objects such as stars.

main sequence

The portion of the lifetime of a star during which it produces energy via the fusion of hydrogen to helium in its core. A star will remain on the Main Seqeunce for the majority of its total lifetime.

meteor

Extra-terrestrial object that is observed by the electromagnetic radiation it emits as it enters the Earth's atmosphere. 'Shooting stars' are visible meteors.

meteorite

An extra-terrestrial rock (generally a fragment of an asteroid) that has fallen to the Earth’s surface.